A Million Shades of Grey
by neveragain4evernow
Summary: She was a pawn in a deadly game. She had fooled almost everyone including herself with her elaborate lies and seemingly perfect demeanor. But Edward Cullen knew better. Bella Swan was a liar, and a damn good one at that. AH
1. Prologue

A Million Shades of Grey

Prologue

_She seemed perfect in every way. But I realized she was different. She was a liar, and a damn good one at that. _

* * *

><p>"What's your story?"<p>

"I could ask you the same thing."

He leaned back, not bothering to mask the smirk at his lips.

We sat together in silence while he finished off what was left of his cigarette. The full moon floated high over our heads, illuminating the darkness and shining its light down on us. It was clear why Jessica and the others fawned over him. He may not be the obtrusively muscular and bronzed male the average girl would pursue, but he was mesmerizing in a dark and intangible way. His lean frame and fiery copper colored hair complemented his pallid skin tone and mysterious demeanor.

"I'm sure the loquacious student body has already filled you in," he absently stated, throwing his cigarette on the ground.

We both simultaneous glanced back at the home full of rambunctious and drunk party-goers. As if their opinion held any significance. Out of all people, I truly understood the meaning of the phrase 'don't judge a book by its cover'. "They've tried too," I responded, turning back to him.

A hint of surprise flickered across his eyes before he began scrutinizing me. "Tried," he mumbled to himself, as though he was clarifying what I had said.

I nodded in response. "Tried," I reassured. "It's only made me curious as to who the elusive Mr. Cullen may possibly be."

He chuckled half-heartedly, a deep throaty sound. "I'm sure it has," he looked back towards the house for a moment. "They _feed_ on new arrivals."

He pursed his lips and a glint of disdain crossed his face. A subconscious reaction I assume, because he didn't bother to elaborate. I wonder what had happened between them. "I'm a big girl. I think I can handle the wolves," I joked, trying to distract him from his stream of consciousness.

He looked back at me, eyebrow raised in questioning. He seemed to be debating whether or not he should say what he wanted to. "It's a tough life," he murmured after a few moments, now frowning slightly.

_Tough life?_ I thought back to what Alice had told me. Quite frankly, she hadn't told me much at all. Her description of her brother was vague in contrast to the bombastic rumors which circulated amongst the small town of Forks. I hardly knew him, but I already hoped he would one day tell me what he meant by his last statement. "I can manage," I responded.

I had been managing it for years now. I thought back to Charlie and what he would say if he could see how I had taken responsibility for everything he left behind. Would he be proud? Disappointed? Apologetic? At one point, I realized it didn't matter. I would never know, so I avoided dwelling over the issue.

He reached into his black leather jacket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro. He pulled out a cigarette and held it out to me. "No thanks, I don't smoke," I refused shaking my head.

He nodded in acknowledgement and placed it between his lips. Under the moonlight, he looked like a figure from the 80's. Tall, mysterious, handsome, and captivating. He lit the cig for himself and swiftly tucked the pack away. He took a long puff and leaned in towards me. The smell of peppermint and smoke clouded my senses. "So what's your story?"

I mirrored his actions and our faces were now mere inches apart from each other. His eyes were beautiful, to say the least. I recalled Angela gushing about how entrancing the moment was when you looked into his eyes. They were mesmerizing. His emerald eyes glinted with unadulterated and guarded curiosity. "Asking the second time doesn't change my response, Edward."

His name rolled off the tongue with ease. Sophisticated and classic, just like him. What about this man besides his reputation wasn't perfect? It was hard to imagine. He flashed a crooked grin which gleamed white under the moonlight. "What if I asked a third time?"

I laughed. My thoughts were muddled, maybe it was the smoke, or maybe it was just him. It occurred to me how we were only a kiss distance apart. He had asked with such a genuine curiosity, I didn't have the ability to walk away without giving him an answer. I could only tell him so much though. "It's not all black and white Edward," I said softly.

I looked down at the ground. It wouldn't satisfy him, and I knew that. We were similar in that we didn't take anything less than what we wanted. It was a habit of Charlie's I inherited. "Life isn't black and white. It's endless shades of grey; some areas are just more clear than others."

I looked back up at him. Judging by his gaze, he still wanted an explanation. But he would let me get away with it- this time.

* * *

><p>AN: So this is just the prologue, but for those of you wondering where in the world this story is headed, here it is. Although I can't reveal what the big secret is, becaue that will come along as the story goes on. Bella has a very big secret that was the reason she moved to Forks. She wins everyone's heart and even gets through to infamous Edward. However, Edward being the critical person he is, figures out there's more to Isabella than what everyone thinks. And the only thing keepin her from falling off the edge, is staying off the radar. But not for long, because the game's almost over.

Anyway, I've had this story in mind for a while now. And because of the many encouragements to post it, here it is. Thoughts and criticisms?


	2. Chapter 1

A Million Shades of Grey

Chapter 1

_"__A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.__"- Lao Tzu_

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><p>EPOV<p>

"So I was wondering if you'd like to be my date for Friday's dance?"

_Shit_. "I don't do the whole- dating scene, Tanya."

And there it came. The face of rejection. She began to turn red in the face and stutter as she struggled to find words. Tanya Denali. She was the latest arrival in the desolate town of Forks. That was over a year ago. This town didn't receive many visitors, let alone permanent residents. New arrivals were dubbed new arrivals for a minimum of the first five years, if they didn't come to their senses and leave. Her arrival caused uproar; she was a New Yorker. She belonged on the cover of a magazine, not the local newspaper. Tall, strawberry blonde, athletic, flirtatious; she was everything these small town boys wanted in a girl. "I- uh. It's fine. Mike and Tyler had both asked me anyway. I'll go with one of them," she nodded her head while she spoke.

She turned around and started walking back over towards her posse standing across the parking lot. "He's gay—," she sharply whispered to them.

They looked over at me and started giggling. "No way—." "All the good ones are." "Who cares?"

Granted, none of it was suppose to be heard by me. Apparently, the fact I declined Tanya's offer to the dance made me gay. Another tidbit about Denali was the fact she was the epitome of shallowness. The student body had given her the status of Queen Bee, and my guess, it was reason enough for her to stay in Forks. That's right. The epitome of shallowness.

"Ignore them. Little Miss Perfect's just shocked because someone said no," Alice claimed, rolling her eyes.

"On the plus side, you won't have to come out of the closet. She'll tell everyone for you by the end of the day," Emmett joked.

I glared at him and Alice smacked him on the head with the back of her purse. "Ow—hey! I was just kidding," Emmett winced, rubbing his head.

Alice and Emmett Cullen were my siblings. We all attended the same foster care building when Carlisle and Esme adopted us. Emmett was the first to be taken in; he was barely two years old. Now, he had grown into a bear-sized football player. Emmett was the sarcastic one in the family. His history of pranks and other various jokes made him a prime suspect to accusation anytime Alice's things went missing. Alice was my younger sister. She was adopted four years after Emmett at the age of five. Alice was the eccentric and outspoken one who couldn't seem to stay quiet, ever. Carlisle and Esme brought me in years later. I was a few months away from my fifteenth birthday at the time. For the longest time, I never understood why they had gone to the trouble of dealing with me; three more years and I would have been released on account of being legal. When they had adopted me, I was rebellious, stubborn, and had no regard for anyone's feelings. It took two years before I began trusting my new family, and I discovered a new found appreciation for their efforts.

I looked away from their petty arguing and scanned the parking lot. Students stood in clusters besides their rustic cars. The same students, standing by the same cars, parked in the same parking slot, for four years. Change wasn't attributed with the name of Forks. It was the lack of change and mundane lifestyle which made living here a purgatory. My family and I moved here almost three years ago; we lost the title of 'latest arrival' with Tanya Denali's appearance. I preferred a fast-paced lifestyle with change and unexpected turns and twists. Forks was a road that made four lefts and ended it right where it began.

"Hey Cullen!"

I turned around to the familiar voice of James. He stood beside Victoria and Laurent while they smoked. Whatever time I spent with company, aside from my family, was spent with them. James was the head of the three musketeers. With blonde hair, blue eyes, and an average height, he could've blended in perfectly with the rest of the students; except for his cocaine addiction. Victoria, his—friend with benefits, was a tall red haired bombshell. She belonged with Tanya on the cover of a magazine at one point. Years of binge drinking had taken a toll on her health and physical appearance. Laurent, standing at a height of 6'5, was the guardian of their clan. No one ever told him this directly to his face, but it was more an unwritten rule. Laurent didn't have any serious addictions or problems; he seemed to stick to James like glue however. They were all drop-outs. Alice hated them all, as well as the rest of my family. They couldn't fathom why I spent my time with them. Esme and Carlisle adamantly insisted I refrain from involving myself with them.

I was not a frequent a drinker, nor did I have any addictions. I actually opposed smoking anything besides cigarettes. Sometimes _I _didn't even understand why I associated myself with James. They were scum. They shoplifted when they could and got high when they had the chance. Legally, my record was clean. My reputation arose from my associations. My family knew I didn't like confrontation, but I wasn't afraid of it. I preferred that the people around me left me alone. It irked me when girls like Tanya and Jessica attempted to come and win me over. It was easier letting people think I would knock their lights out if they irritated me. "Are you coming or no?" Victoria called out.

It was obvious she had been drinking. Her voice was slurred and she couldn't seem to stand without swaying. I locked the car and started walking over to them before a hand shot out and suddenly grabbed my arm. "Edward," Alice pleaded desperately. "Stay. Don't you want to see the new student?"

I may have forgotten to mention that it was Tanya's last day being the 'new arrival'. The new girl was supposed to move in today. No one knew her name or anything about her for that matter, which was surprising. News spread like wildfire from Forks down to the La Push Reservation in less than twenty-four hours. I was somewhat surprised Alice hadn't managed to pull a measly first name from the front office. She was usually the first to be notified, and she made sure of that. "No thanks, Alice," I responded, pulling my arm out of her grip.

She clutched the end of the sleeve and refused to let go. "Alice," I warned.

My patience with my family was short lived. I refused to tolerate anyone's bullshit, and I could only tolerate so much of my family's attempt to provide guidance. "Alice," Emmett cut in for me, "let him go."

Out of everyone, Emmett despised my habits the most. When I first started smoking and spending my nights with James, Emmett was the one who put up the strongest fight. It was the worse we'd had. He hadn't spoken to me for almost nine months before he learned to there was no way around it. He insisted it was just a stage I was going through. I wasn't so confident. I had suffered through a tough childhood of neglect, and it had left a scar.

"Will you be home by dinner?"

She was pleading now. I stared at her wide eyed face for a moment; she wanted me to answer yes because it meant I wouldn't be out with _them_. "Alice-."

"Please?" She begged before I could finish.

I rolled my eyes and shrugged her hand off my jacket. "Fine. Fine, alright?"

She gave a small smile before looking across the parking lot until she caught sight of her boyfriend Jasper's car which had just pulled in. She said goodbye to me and skipped off to towards his car. "You know… you could stay in school today," Emmett suggested.

I groaned and turned to him. "Not you too Emmett," I muttered.

It was hard enough having one sibling harass me about my lifestyle choices. Although Emmett had finally accepted that my decisions were a part of my life, it hadn't stopped him from trying to deter me. "Just a suggestion," he defended, holding his hands up in defeat.

"Hey babe. Edward," Rosalie acknowledged as she walked up to us.

Rosalie Hale was Emmett's girlfriend; yet another girl who belonged on the cover of a magazine. Rosalie moved to Forks when she was only a toddler and had loved it ever since. She amazed me the first time I met her. Seeming to be the emblem of superficiality, she was, in actuality, a down to earth person. She preferred being under the hood of a vintage car then in front of a camera, and her strict hand was just what Emmett needed to control him. Rosalie and I were not the best of friends initially. She didn't agree with a lot of my habits, and my reputation had somewhat skewed her perception of me. Eventually, we began getting along to the point we could hold small conversations about trivial things, but nothing beyond that.

I nodded in acknowledgement and looked back towards James who was whispering something in Victoria's ear. "I'll be back by dinner," I told Emmett while turning around to head over to the others.

"—he was so fucked up, I left him there!"

Laurent and Victoria were keeling over in obnoxious laughter while James continued his story. There was cocaine as well as ecstasy pills spilled across the table next to the booze and various bottles of alcohol on the ground. Victoria's place was where we frequently went now; her mother had just passed away and, and since Victoria was eighteen, she had inherited the torn down house. Her mother was the infamous drug addict of the town, and Victoria had recently found a stash of ecstasy buried in the master closet. Now half of them were sprawled across the table and the other half ingested. "Come on, Edward," Victoria giggled. "Try some."

She was seated on James lap with her arms wrapped around his neck. "Yea Edward," James insisted. "It'll help you loosen up," he added smacking her ass.

She squealed before leaning in to give him a kiss. I looked away from them to Laurent who was too drunk to notice. He seemed minutes away from passing out after having too much booze for the day. It was an average day for us. The smashed clock read _5:54_, and I'd told Alice I'd be home for dinner, which was at six. I dropped my cigarette in the ash tray by the door and grabbed my jacket. I unlatched the door and turned back to James and Victoria. Victoria's shirt had ended up halfway across the room, and they were now sprawled out on the couch while James fondled her breasts. I slipped my jacket on and pulled the door shut behind me. This was how every day ended. More than half the time, I left as the sober one, Laurent continued drinking till he lost consciousness, and James and Victoria would either make the effort to move to her bedroom or just get started on the couch.

I rolled down the windows on the drive home to air out the smell of smoke. Esme always figured out where I had been during the day by the scent of my clothes. The rest of my family didn't even bother going near my car because of its smell. If there was anything I cared about, it was my car. It wasn't filthy, but I was desensitized to the smoke. I pulled into the driveway at a quarter past six. It was better than not showing up at all. I got out and locked the door before heading inside.

Emmett and Alice were laughing at the table while Esme scolded them. "Hey," I raked a hand through my hair and my stomach grumbled at the sight of food. It was one thing Victoria's house lacked, decent food.

"You're home early," Carlisle commented.

"Yea, Alice insisted," I said, ruffling her hair.

She smiled up at me and mouthed thank-you before turning back to argue with Emmett. "I would ask how school went, but—"

"Carlisle," Esme interrupted. "He's home now, and that's what matters. You must be starving, darling. Go wash your hands, and for heaven's sake, go change," she said lightly pushing me towards the stairs. "You smell like you've been over that—woman's house," she guessed giving me a disapproving look.

I didn't bother answering and jogged up the stairs instead to go change. It broke Esme's heart that I spend my time with James, but she believed me when I told her that I didn't engage in their activities. Esme was the one who had taken a stand for me from the beginning; she was a second mother. I had nothing but utter respect and love for her. I headed back downstairs as the others were finishing up their meals. A large plate full of lasagna was set on the table and I immediately sat down and dug in. "Does the whore not have any food at home?" Alice questioned.

"Alice," Esme scolded.

"Please mom," Emmett defended, "you know that's what she is. You just don't like to use the word."

Esme rolled her eyes and Carlisle chuckled. "So Edward," Carlisle began, "is the car working okay now?"

My brakes had been making loud screeching sounds for the past few days. I continued driving it until Carlisle found out and send it to a shop. "Yea, it's working fine. Thanks Dad," I answered with a full mouth.

"Edward, chew your food," Esme called from the kitchen.

Carlisle leaned in towards me. "Ears like a hawk," he whispered.

I chuckled and swallowed my food. "Oh! The new girl!" Alice suddenly burst out. "She's really nice Edward, and pretty. Her name's Isabella Swan. She just moved here from Chicago! Can you believe it? I invited her this Friday."

Isabella Swan. The new girl. It was fitting. "Don't you already have 50 people more than you planned invited, Alice?"

Alice was having one of her famous parties at our house this Friday. Carlisle and Esme would be out of town, and it was the perfect opportunity for her. She hushed me and fiercely whispered, "They don't know that. Keep your kisser shut."

I stood up and set my plates down in the sink. Alice trailed behind me and continued discussing her plans. I tuned her out half the time, but her last few words caught my attention. "I was going to have you meet her. I think you'll like her," she insisted.

I paused for a moment and turned to look at her. "No thanks, Alice. You know I don't like meeting your little friends," I explained heading up the stairs.

She opened her mouth to argue, but I had already made it up the stairs and into my bedroom.

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter was an introduction to Edward's life. I would've combined it with chapter two, which I also have written, but I wanted to find out if you all liked his character first. Which leads me to my next question, what do you think of Edward? Do you like him, hate him, feel bad for him, curious?

Typically I send out a sneak peek for every review. Sometimes I may not, but I almost always do if the updates are far in between.


	3. Chapter 2

A Million Shades of Grey

Chapter 2

_"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."- Seneca_

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><p>BPOV<p>

"I love you Bells. I'll call when I get there."

The line clicked and the familiar electronic voice came through the phone. "You have no more voicemails. If you'd like to make a—"

I sighed and stared at the words missed call. Dammit. Why didn't he call me? I clutched the phone in my and slipped it in my back pocket. The house was huge and unnecessarily so. I had insisted on something less ostentatious, but it wasn't exactly my decision to make. It was a large Victorian house with high ceilings and a grand entrance. It was too much. I set my bags in the living room and explored the rest of the mansion. High tech kitchen, sun room, five bedrooms, and a large theater room. I opened the door to the patio and my mouth fell open. An extended pool stretched out from one side of the endless backyard to the other with a basketball court on the side. I didn't even play basketball. Yes, it was far too much. I walked up the grand staircase into the master bedroom. A large round bed was set in the middle of the room with one wall entirely made of glass; a magnificent view of the river and forest could be seen. One large bathroom with an even more spacious closet made up the rest of the room. If this wasn't royalty, I couldn't imagine what was.

The phone light blinked red on the side table and I pressed the replay button. "Hey honey. How do you like the place? I know it's a bit too- grandiose for your taste, but I couldn't resist. I'm going to be in a meeting by the time you get this, so I'll call you when I can. Go crazy."

I smiled and fell back on to the bed. This was a new beginning.

* * *

><p>If there was one materialistic thing I loved in the world, it was my car. I adored my camry and maintained it myself, which included vacuuming, washing, and waxing. Pulling into the parking lot, however, I realized I had made a mistake. This wasn't Chicago, and people didn't drive flashy cars. Even behind the tinted windows, I flushed red. The few students who were standing in the lot unabashedly stared and whispered to themselves. It was a careless mistake on my part. I quickly pulled into the back of the lot where few as three or four cars stood. This town gave ostentatious a new meaning.<p>

It was pure luck that my clothes blended in. I threw the hood of my black jacket up over my head and walked to the office. Even back home, I never dressed nearly as flashy as most of the other girls. I preferred a pair of sweats to a skirt any day. I opened the door and walked in to a cozy, warm office. A red haired receptionist sat at the front with the name of Ms. Cope written across her I.D. "Excuse me," I said as I walked up to her. "Hi. I'm Isabella—"

A look of recognition crossed her face. "Ah yes! We've been expecting you. Please, have a seat," she insisted.

She handed me my schedule and papers before offering to show me around the school. I politely refused and shook her hand to thank her. Forks High School wasn't very large. It was easy to figure my way around. I walked to the English Hall and pushed the doors open. Instantly, every student stopped and turned to look at me. I could feel my skin heat up and flush red. I kept my eyes glued to the floor, refusing to look at the gawking eyes. No one ever noticed new students in Chicago. Not even the teachers. I was the nexus of attraction here.

I didn't plan on being the first in class, but nor did I plan on being stared at like the black plague. I took a seat in the back corner by the window and pulled out my copy of the _The Great Gatsby_. Maybe if they thought I was distracted they wouldn't bother me. I wasn't an anthropophagic, but I'd rather someone come up to me to get to know me, not the 'new girl'. The bell rang and I changed my mind and quickly stuffed the book in my bag. Forget it. The last thing I needed was no friends and a rumor floating around that said beware the new girl's a bibliophile. Slowly, the students filed and took their seats, but not before giving me a long stare. I avoided their gazes and looked out the window. There was hardly any sunlight that reached this town. The final bell rang, and I could see moving figures at the far end of the parking lot. I squinted and could make out four figures leaning against the trunk of an old corolla. One of them had an arm around a red head, and the tallest one stood by the other male figure. He seemed to be wearing a black jacket; the only feature I could make out was burnt orange hair. They walked to their cars and pulled out of the parking lot. "Miss Isabella Swan?" a voice called out.

I turned to the front and noticed all eyes were on me, yet again. "Yes?"

"Ah," the teacher was a thin frail looking old man with large glasses and a snow white hair. "So you are the new student, I assume."

I nodded and smiled softly. "Where are you from?"

"Chicago," I answered.

Whispers started buzzing around the room as students leaned into the person closest to their desks. Had I said something wrong? "That's a big city to be coming from," he commented.

"Yea, I suppose so."

What else was I suppose to say? Maybe that's what had everyone whispering. "Is that really your car?" One of the girls blurted out.

Another wave of buzzes filled the classroom. Oh God, they were the superficial type. I nodded and didn't bother elaborating. The teacher suddenly cut in, "So that was the car in the teacher's lot. The staff had assumed the principal had given himself a bonus," he chuckled.

My mouth fell open and I flushed red. The teacher's lot? I couldn't have parked there. "I- uh," I stumbled over my words. "I didn't realize that the lot was the same," I quickly explained.

"Of course you didn't," a blond girl from the opposite side of the room snapped.

"Shut up Lauren," the brunette next to her exclaimed. "She didn't know."

I ignored their outburst and turned back to the teacher. How could I have known the teacher and student parking lot were one in the same? It wasn't possible that this could be that small. "I could go move my car if you'd like," I offered.

"No, no. It's fine. Half the lot stays empty anyway," he said shaking his hand.

Besides that minor incident, the rest of my classes were fairly mundane. It was only when the bell for lunch in history rang I began to feel nervous. Everyone stood up from their seats and began filing out the door, even the teacher had left. Sitting alone couldn't be that bad, I tried to reassure myself as I gathered my belongings. It would be just like the first day of elementary school. Miserable. "Hey," the brunette from first period exclaimed.

If I remembered correctly, I think her name was Jessica. "Hey, Jessica?"

She nodded eagerly, ecstatic that I had remembered her name out of the few hundred or so seniors in the school. "Wanna come have lunch with my friends?"

I agreed, and in as little as forty-five minutes, I had learned everything there was to know about Jessica Stanley. From her childhood home in the neighborhood two miles away to her favorite day-to-day activities. She was utterly loquacious, to be straightforward. The entire day, I was nervous about others questioning me, and how I would answer without saying too much. Jessica took care of that; she brought me to the table, introduced me, sat down, and began telling me about herself. She would've fit in with Chicago's elite easily. She was peppy, spray-tanned, and had somewhat of a short attention span, but she was nice. And she had been the only person to invite me to sit at any particular table, so I wasn't complaining. She spoke to me, but gazed at Mike Newton the entire time. It was obvious that, although she hadn't staked her territory publicly, it was obvious she wanted him to pursue her.

Mike Newton was on the school football team. He was blonde, blue-eyed, and baby-faced. He, too, would've blended in Chicago. Unlike Jessica, Mike didn't spend the entire time telling me about himself; rather, he spent his time trying to impress me with his jokes; his pathetic jokes. Mike, the friendliest out of the batch, was, by far, the most annoying. He repeatedly attempted to win my attention while I struggled to balance paying attention to Jessica and communicate with Angela.

Angela Weber was my favorite. I had hardly gotten the opportunity to speak with her, but the fact she didn't spend her time unnecessarily going on about herself had already promoted her in my eyes. She was the sweet and reserved kind of girl. Her boyfriend, Ben Cheney, and her sat by each other and did their best to include me in their conversations. I sincerely appreciated the effort; however, I didn't want to be rude to Jessica. So I gave them an apologetic look and continued listening to Jessica inform me about the time she had joined the local pageant competition six years ago.

Lauren was supposed to sit with us, but she had been called to the principal's on account of a slight- conflict with her teacher last period. I thought about asking Jessica what exactly I had done to Lauren to make her dislike me, but decided it was best to let it go. Jessica wasn't the kind to keep to herself, and if I asked, the odds were my questioning would reach Lauren. The last thing I wanted was confrontation. If it was that serious an issue, I would know soon enough.

My lab partner in biology had been absent today, and the professor hadn't even bothered calling his name during attendance. I looked around in confusion and not a single person had seemed to notice the oddity. I considered simply asking him if he had accidentally skipped his name, but figured that it wasn't my business to begin with. AP Biology wasn't the most exciting class, but I endured a full hour of chemiosmosis. Halfway during the video that was playing, I pulled out my phone. _No Missed Calls_. He would have to call sooner or later.

The bell soon rang and I got up to head to my final class of the day, gym. "Hey Bella," Mike walked over. "Heading to gym right?"

We both had gym and biology together, so I was fairly positive I wouldn't have to worry about having to walk to class alone the rest of the year. God forbid. If Mike could, he would walk me from my car to first and every other period in between. "Yea, I am," I said swinging my bag over my shoulder.

"Let me get that for you," he reached over for the bag.

_Oh no_. He began sliding off my shoulders and I quickly turned, pulling it out of his grasp. "Oh, it's fine Mike. I got it, really. Thank you," but I have no interest in you, I added mentally.

It was awkward and silent the rest of the way to class. In a two minute walk, Mike had tried over four times to start up a lively conversation, and each one had ended in an awkward glance looking the opposite way. In seventeen years, I had never felt so uncomfortable around anyone. He was a friendly guy, but there was something unnerving about him. Maybe the fact he had tried to carry my things for me even though he hardly knew me, or the fact Jessica would rip my hair out if she found out I had stolen her secret lover in less than three hours. I couldn't decide which was worse.

The girl's locker room was small and clean, which was a first. Each girl had a long individual locker to store bulky coats in. After finding my locker, I started to undress and pulled off my shirt. "Hey! You must be Isabella Swan!"

A short and petite girl with pixie like hair stood in front of me. She was already dressed in her grey shorts and shirt, ready to go. She had pearly white teeth and a contagious smile. "That would be me," I smiled back at her. "You are?"

"Alice Cullen," she said, holding out her hand.

We shook hands and walked out to the track together. She asked me where I was from and why I had moved, nothing a departure from the types of questions I had received all day long. "What about you?" I finally asked while we rounded the corner for the third lap.

"Well, I have two brothers, and we were all adopted separately," she explained. "Emmett is the quarterback of the football team. I'm sure you saw him at lunch, he's huge and hard to miss," she added. "And Edward, Edward you probably won't ever see."

"Why not?"

"He's not exactly the biggest fan of school," she explained. "He's kind of seditious, to put it simply. He's a really nice guy, but his reputation gets the best of him."

She didn't bother mentioning anything else, so I decided to stop my questions there. I recalled Jessica mentioning something about an Edward Cullen at lunch. He was the infamous bad boy of the school. He often hung out with the drop outs, but didn't seem to plan on dropping out himself. He didn't have a reputation of sleeping with girls either , but rather, avoiding them. "You could meet him on Friday if you'd like. I'm having a party at my house, come!"

If I managed to get everything I needed to done, maybe I could drop by for a few hours. "I'd love to."

* * *

><p>"You have no missed calls," the electronic voice came over the phone.<p>

Maybe he was caught up in a meeting. I threw my keys on the counter and headed upstairs. The movers had just left, and, aside from the large furniture pieces, endless stacks of packaged boxes were stacked on top of each other, waiting to be opened. No one said anything about moving being easy. After changing into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, I sat myself down on the hardwood floor and began going through the boxes one by one.

Hours passed and another day faded into oblivion as the sky turned down. Only six of the boxes had been sorted and shelved throughout the house. The rest were yet to come. The movers had offered to help unpack, but I figured I might as well go through everything and throw away what needed to be gotten rid off. Initially, there was one bag for trash, two for goodwill, and two for the attic. Now, there were none for the attic, three for goodwill, and four for trash. It was unbelievable how much junk Charlie had stored over the years. No wonder she couldn't stand it.

I grabbed the picture frame of the three us off the counter. I was five; the three of us had went to New York for the summer. I was sitting on Charlie's shoulders while Renee kissed him. It was the last summer the three of us had taken a vacation together. After that summer, Charlie only traveled on account of business. I had taken my fair share of vacations and trips with friends or on school sponsored programs, but Charlie dove into his work after the following year and didn't seem to have time, nor the heart, to enjoy much of anything anymore.

The phone began to ring and I jumped and quickly answered. "Hello?"

"How are you liking Forks, kiddo?"

I smiled. It felt good to hear his voice after such a long time. "It's- interesting. You didn't warn me my car would be so ostentatious," I accused.

He laughed. "I thought I'd let you discover for yourself. How's the house?"

"A little too fancy for my taste… but I like it," I admitted, plopping down on the couch.

"I'm glad," he mocked a sigh of relief. "Sorry I've been busy lately. I've been tied up with work and all."

"It's fine. I thought you might be. When are you coming?"

"I've been kind of tied up here. I'm not exactly sure."

There were hushed voices over the phone and shuffling of papers. "Uh- I have to go, honey. I'll call you later honey," he quickly said before hanging up.

I moved the phone away from my ear. "Bye?"

What he could be so preoccupied with? I would make sure to ask him the next time he called. I looked around the room at the boxes waiting to be opened. Those weren't being sprung open tonight, no doubt about that. Grabbing a throw pillow and blanket out of a large box, I spent my first night asleep on a leather couch.

* * *

><p>AN: Any thoughts on Bella's character? I did my best to keep her realistic. And who do you think she was talking to on the phone?


	4. Chapter 3

A Million Shades of Grey

Chapter 3

_"__From small beginnings come great things.__"- Proverb_

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><p>EPOV<p>

The letter home had caused uproar. I had been sitting upstairs in my room when Carlisle had opened the envelope, and hell had broken loose. It didn't matter to me, to a certain extent. But Carlisle wouldn't tolerate any of it. "Edward!" He yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

I pulled out my headphones and raised my brow in question, looking at Alice who seemed frozen in shock. Alice believed she had a supernatural ability to sense the future. The rest of us thought she was just a damn good guesser. _School_, she mouthed. Shit. I had missed this entire week, and the letter was probably the administration threatening to suspend me. I walked downstairs to Carlisle who was clutching an unfolded letter in his hand. "What's wrong, dad?"

Carlisle didn't approve of any of my eccentric habits of cutting class and smoking. However, the single most thing he refused tolerate was anything drastic related to school. Although he would never encourage my lifestyle, my grades were almost as crucial as my record. Aside my family, no one knew that I had the GPA of an honors student. My teachers often left me alone because of my scores. They were baffled that someone who hardly attended class could achieve the grades I had. At first, accusations of cheating were thrown at me, until they realized I was getting higher grades than the others around me. "You were smoking on campus?" He inquired raising the sheet of paper. "What's gotten into your head Edward? It's bad enough that you skip school and spend your time smoking, but on campus? It's James and those friends of his, isn't it? I'll get them all arrested if I have to," he ranted.

I may have been somewhat reckless, but I wasn't dense. I had enough common sense to know smoking on campus would result in suspension, and that's exactly what I told him. "I didn't smoke on campus," I stated.

He opened his mouth to argue but I continued. "I've been doing this for four years now. Why would I suddenly decide I'm going to smoke on campus now?" I questioned.

Carlisle froze and struggled to find words. "But- the letter," he said holding it up.

"Oh that's enough," Esme snatched the letter out of his hands. "If Edward said he didn't do it, he didn't do it, Carlisle. There's obviously been a mistake. Our son may be a lot of things, but a liar isn't one of them. You can go back up into your room, darling," she said turning to me.

Esme continued to scold him as I walked back up the stairs with the letter in hand to find Alice waiting patiently in my room to discuss the details. "Suspension, for smoking on campus," I explained in as few words as possible.

Her mouth fell open and she began to tirade in my defense."But that's ridiculous! You know you'd get suspended for doing that! You never smoke on campus. That's ridiculous! They can't suspend you. You were less than a year from graduating with a clean record!"

"I know Alice," I consoled. "Carlisle and Esme are going to go talk to them tomorrow. On the plus side, I get a day off," I chuckled.

She gave me a disapproving look and then rolled her eyes. Out of everyone in the family, Alice was the closest to me. I loved everyone, particularly Esme, but Alice was the most understanding of my past. The days I decided to stay home on the weekend, which were few, she'd cancel her plans for the day to spend them with me. I could remember the day I had first arrived in the Cullen household; I thought Alice was overwhelming and slightly neurotic. It wasn't till Esme explained that she wasn't psychotic, I was brave enough to talk to her. Now, she was my best friend. "Wait, if you're going to be home all of tomorrow," she drawled, getting a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"No Alice," I interrupted before she could finish. "I'm not going to sit and decorate while you're at school."

She pouted and I smirked at her poor attempt to convince me. We stared at each other for a few moments before she sighed in defeat and turned to walk out. "I may, however, be here tonight," I added.

She turned around with an exuberant smile on her face. "Really? You can meet Bella then! She's—"

"No Alice," I cut her off. "I _might_ stay, but that doesn't mean I'll be downstairs with all your friends," as if I didn't have better things to be doing.

"They could be your friends too you know," she sing-songed.

I grimaced. I would rather have no friends than a bunch of immature partygoers trailing after me. The only reason I planned on staying tonight was because James and the others were planning on going to Port Angeles. They had gotten caught shop-lifting last time, and I had barely gotten out of it after hours of attempting to prove that I hadn't stolen anything. Carlisle practically had an aneurism when I called him from downtown that night, and I decided it wasn't the trouble anymore to go with them on their five finger discount shopping spree. "No thanks, Alice. I value my dignity."

* * *

><p>BPOV<p>

_Dammit. _Alice hadn't told me what to wear tonight. My closet was daunting me. I scanned the racks of clothing and scrunched my nose in confusion. Her number wasn't even in my phone for me to able to call and ask. So I stood there in my closet for another ten minutes before grabbing an all purpose black dress. It ended a few inches above the knee and had lace quarter sleeves with a modest scoop in the back. It wasn't too formal, but if people were dressed fancy, I wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb. I kept my hair and make-up natural and decided to stick to flats. Before heading out the door, I checked the phone once last time for a missed call, but had no luck.

"Hey Bella!" Alice exclaimed.

The moment she opened the door I knew I was extremely under-dressed. She had a tight bright purple dress on with sparkling silver stilettos. She looked as though she was ready to go to prom. "I- I think I'm under-dressed, Alice," severely under-dressed.

She looked over my outfit. "No! You're fine! You look cute. Come on in," she grabbed my hand and began dragging me in.

The guys were dressed casually, but the girls all had short prom-dress like dresses on with sky high heels and matching jewelry. My eyes widened and I suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Alice, I really feel like-," I started saying.

"You're shoe size looks the same as mine. Do you want to borrow a pair of heels?" She asked before I could finish.

Alice seemed to have a keen sense of knowing exactly what I was going to ask. If it were plausible, I'd say she was either physic or telepathic. I nodded gratefully and she gestured for me to follow her up the stairs. "Your house is gorgeous," I mumbled looking around the antique furniture.

"Thanks. It's all Esme."

"Where are your parents?"

It was obvious they weren't home. No sane parent would allow over a hundred drunken high schools students to party in their home. I followed her down the hall into her room. "Business trip in Seattle. They'll be back tomorrow," she answered, pulling out a pair of heels from inside her closet.

I strapped them on and thanked her before heading back down the stairs with her. "Don't look now, but here comes Newton," she giggled.

I closed my eyes shut and sighed before turning around to face him. "Hey Bella. You look nice," he commented looking me up and down.

I forced a smile in return. "Thanks."

We made small talk for a few minutes before he offered to get us a drink and I eagerly accepted, wanting a few moments away from him. My feet were beginning to hurt from standing, considering all the chairs were taken. I waited for another two minutes before deciding it wouldn't hurt if I went and switched them out. I walked up the stairs into her bedroom and grabbed my flats. After switching them out and returning back downstairs, I saw no sign of Mike. I looked around and noticed there was a bar table was and it seemed that half the crowd was already wasted. Jesus, it was only ten o'clock. "Hey Bella," Angela said walking up to me.

I gave her a short hug and smiled back at her. "You look really nice. Where's Ben?"

She looked over her shoulder at the bar table. "He's just getting us some drinks. Enjoying yourself?"

"Yea," I nodded. "I just went upstairs to sw—," I was suddenly cut off by the sound of my phone ringing. "Hey, could you give me a few moments?" I asked looking towards her.

She nodded and turned to Ben who was walking back. I glanced at the caller ID and gave a sigh of relief. "Hello?"

"Hey honey. Sorry I didn't call back. Long story."

I squeezed my way through the crowd of dancing people before sliding open the patio doors to step outside. "What happened?"

My nerves had been in a bundle ever since he had hung up on Monday. "Like I said, it's a long story. I'm assuming you're not at home?" He half-asked.

"No. I'm not. Do you need me to be? I can head back right now," I asked reaching for the keys.

"Don't do that. It's fine. It's sorted out now. I'll call you tomorrow morning and we can discuss things."

He couldn't do that to me. After a week of waiting, I was now expected to wait another twenty-four hours? I continued walking till I reached the far end of the patio. "But—," I didn't get the chance to finish because he hung up.

I groaned and fell back on to the seat outside. "Dammit," I muttered.

"Bad day?"

My eyes snapped open to the unexpected voice. I hadn't even noticed the mysterious figure sitting in the chair in front of me. I froze and studied him for a few moments, trying to figure out who it may be. "Edward Cullen?"

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter is probably the shortest I've written for this story. What would you do if some random stranger asked you that in the middle of the night?

And as for those of you that read my other story, BMOTMI, I will update that as soon as I finish the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4

A Million Shades of Grey

Chapter 4

_"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed."– Carl Gustav Jung_

* * *

><p>BPOV<p>

He moved the cigarette away from his lips and stared at me for a few moments. I suddenly felt self conscious again for the second time tonight. "That would be me," he said after a few moments after scrutinizing me. "So you're the new girl," he mumbled.

"That would be me," I joked pathetically, trying to imitate his answer.

Oh God. I was turning into Mike. He must think I'm a retard. He smirked at my expression of self-disdain, but I took it as an invitation to continue sitting down. I took a deep breath and got myself together. "My name's Bella Swan," I said holding my hand.

The least I could do was show him I had some manners. He stared at my hand as though he'd never been offered one before. I started to fidget and pull my hand away before he reached up and grabbed it. It was an awkward hand shake, but I held myself together and waited for him to say something. "I know. Alice is the news delivery in our family," he explained.

He probably didn't want me to think he was stalking me. "She's a sweet girl," I added absently.

He nodded and it was silent again for a few minutes. He continued to smoke the rest of his cigarette while I twiddled my thumbs. I realized I must have made things far too awkward, and it would be best if I walked away. "Well, it's nice to finally know what my lab partner looks like," I chuckled half-heartedly and stood up.

Whatever I had said seemed to have caught his attention at that point. "So you sit next to me in bio," he inquired.

"I sit next to your empty chair in biology," I corrected.

He was never there. "I apologize for leaving you single handed during the lab," he murmured.

I paused for a moment. "It was one lab. It's fine."

The teacher had paired me with another group anyway. Would that be the arrangement the rest of the year too? That one question had been at the tip of my tongue for a while now. I wasn't sure whether or not it was any of my business to ask. So I decided I might as well get on with it. "How many weeks in a row do you skip school?"

He looked back up at me, most likely debating whether or not it actually mattered to me. "I was supposed to come to school today," he started.

I waited for him to finish, but he didn't. "And you didn't because?"

My curiosity often got the best of me. He shrugged, not wanting to give an answer. I could respect that, because the half the answers I gave weren't the complete truth. At least he wasn't lying to me. The breeze picked up and I shivered in the cold. "Not exactly the smartest thing to wear during this time of year," he commented.

"I felt severely under dressed the moment I walked through your door."

I wasn't sure if it was the mortification of being out of the loop or the satisfaction of knowing I wasn't the only one who thought the dress code was slightly ridiculous, but I laughed softly. He turned away towards the garden and I almost missed the smile playing at his lips. I realized I was still standing and sat back down, not quite ready to end our conversation.

The silent pause was more comfortable this time. "So why did you move to Forks?"

It was the question I had been asked since my arrival on Monday, but coming from him, it took me off guard. "Long story," I answered shortly, trying to avoid his attention.

He narrowed his eyes and a gleam of understanding passed through them. He knew I was trying to do. "What's your story?"

"I could ask you the same thing," I retorted.

He leaned back, not bothering to mask the smirk at his lips.

We sat together in silence while he finished off what was left his cigarette. The full moon floated high over our heads, illuminating the darkness and shining its light down on us. It was clear why Jessica and the others fawned over him. He may not be the obtrusively muscular and bronzed male the average girl would pursue, but he was mesmerizing in a dark and intangible way. His lean frame and fiery copper colored hair complemented his pallid skin tone and mysterious demeanor.

"I'm sure the loquacious student body has already filled you in," he absently stated, throwing his cigarette on the ground.

We both simultaneous glanced back at the home full of rambunctious and drunk party-goers. As if their opinion held any significance. Out of all people, I truly understood the meaning of the phrase 'don't judge a book by its cover'. "They've tried too," I responded, turning back to him.

A hint of surprise flickered across his eyes before he began scrutinizing me. "Tried," he mumbled to himself, as though he was clarifying what I had said.

I nodded in response. "Tried," I reassured. "It's only made me curious as to who the elusive Mr. Cullen may possibly be."

He chuckled half-heartedly, a deep throaty sound. "I'm sure it has," he looked back towards the house for a moment. "They _feed_ on new arrivals."

He pursed his lips and a glint of disdain crossed his face. A subconscious reaction I assume, because he didn't bother to elaborate. I wonder what had happened between them. "I'm a big girl. I think I can handle the wolves," I joked, trying to distract him from his stream of consciousness.

He looked back at me, eyebrow raised in questioning. He seemed to be debating whether or not he should say what he wanted to. "It's a tough life," he murmured after a few moments, now frowning slightly.

_Tough life?_ I thought back to what Alice had told me. Quite frankly, she hadn't told me much at all. Her description of her brother was vague in contrast to the bombastic rumors which circulated amongst the small town of Forks. I hardly knew him, but I already hoped he would one day tell me what he meant by his last statement. "I can manage," I responded.

I had been managing it for years now. I thought back to Charlie and what he would say if he could see how I had taken responsibility for everything he left behind. Would he be proud? Disappointed? Apologetic? At one point, I realized it didn't matter. I would never know, so I avoided dwelling over the issue.

He reached into his black leather jacket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro. He pulled out a cigarette and held it out to me. "No thanks, I don't smoke," I refused shaking my head.

He nodded in acknowledgement and placed it between his lips. Under the moonlight, he looked like a figure from the 80's. Tall, mysterious, handsome, and captivating. He lit the cig for himself and swiftly tucked the pack away. He took a long puff and leaned in towards me. The smell of peppermint and smoke clouded my senses. "So what's your story?"

I mirrored his actions and our faces were now mere inches apart from each other. His eyes were beautiful, to say the least; I recalled Angela gushing about how entrancing they were. She was right, they were mesmerizing. His emerald shaded eyes glinted with unadulterated and guarded curiosity. "Asking the second time doesn't change my response, Edward."

His name rolled off the tongue with ease. Sophisticated and classic, just like him. What about this man besides his reputation wasn't perfect? It was hard to imagine. He flashed a crooked grin which gleamed white under the moonlight. "What if I asked a third time?"

I laughed. My thoughts were muddled, maybe it was the smoke, or maybe it was just him. It occurred to me how we were only a kiss distance apart. He had asked with such a genuine curiosity, I didn't have the ability to walk away without giving him an answer. I could only tell him so much though. "It's not all black and white Edward," I said softly.

I looked down at the ground. It wouldn't satisfy him, and I knew that. We were similar in that we didn't take anything less than what we wanted. It was a habit of Charlie's I inherited. "Life isn't black and white. It's endless shades of grey; some areas are just more clear than others."

I looked back up at him. Judging by his gaze, he still wanted an explanation. But he would let me get away with it- this time. "Hey Bella!" Mike's voice echoed across the lawn.

I groaned and put my hands to my head. Edward laughed and took another puff of cigarette. "It seems your number one fan is looking for you," he pointed out, smirking at me.

I took a deep breath and stood up. "Bella-a-a!" Mike called out.

It was obvious he was drunk out of his mind. "Oh God, just kill me," I muttered turning back towards the house.

I stopped in my path and looked back at Edward who now had his feet propped up on the small table. "It was nice to meet you, Edward."

"Likewise, Isabella," he nodded flicking the end of his cigarette.

"Bella," I corrected."Call me Bella."

He nodded in acknowledgement. I didn't know what else to say, so I looked forward and began making my way back to Mike's calls. Edward Cullen was not what anyone had made him out to be. Out of everyone I had met in Forks, he seemed the most down-to-earth. And I couldn't deny that there was something utterly captivating about him.

By the end of the night, Mike had thrown up in Alice's living from too much alcohol, and I hadn't seen Edward again before I left. I returned home by two in the morning and was too exhausted to change. After trudging up the stairs, I peeled off my dress and crawled into straight into bed, dreaming of peppermint, cigarettes, and emerald eyes.

* * *

><p>Monday morning came soon enough and I was back at Forks High, uneager to face my second week at school. The appeal of Edward's lifestyle was undeniable. The idea of simply not going to school because I didn't feel like it- ingenious. I pulled in to the student parking lot and found Alice waiting for me by the door. Rather than sitting with Jessica and enduring over half an hour of mindless gossip, I now sat with Alice, her boyfriend Jasper, Emmett, and his girlfriend Rose. We walked into the building and began talking about Friday night. "I met your brother outside," I mentioned casually.<p>

She stopped in her tracks and turned to me. "Really? He didn't tell me," she murmured.

Would he have a reason to? "It was nothing serious. It was hardly a fifteen minute conversation."

I wished it had lasted longer though, but I wouldn't tell Alice that. She grabbed my arm. "Fifteen minutes? What did he talk to you about for fifteen minutes?" she inquired.

She seemed surprised for some unexplainable reason. Alice must've read the confusion on my face, because she explained what had her stunned. "Edward doesn't talk to anyone for that long. He hardly talks to Rose that long, and he's only acquainted with her because of Emmett."

So I was the exception to Edward Cullen's mysterious demeanor. If what Alice said was the case, why had he spoken to me? I pondered over the thought for a few moments before realizing she was waiting for a response. "I really don't know Alice. I just happened to find him outside, but Mike came out looking for me. So I said goodbye and left," unfortunately.

She raised her brow. "So it wasn't even like you were done talking and walked away. You were interrupted?"

I was beginning to sense where Alice might be going with her questions. The idea of Edward and I seemed—odd. I hardly knew him and vice versa. "It wasn't like _that_ Alice," I scoffed.

"Uh-huh," she said smirking.

We began to walk again and head down the English hallway. "We were just making small-talk and that was it," I defended.

"Alright Bella," Alice drawled looking the other way.

Lunch rolled around and Alice and I were stopped by Tanya Denali on the way outside. "Swan," she grimaced.

"Hello, Tanya."

It hadn't taken long for me to figure out I had stolen Tanya's spotlight, and she resented me for it. We hadn't actually engaged in a confrontation, but she made it clear that she held a disdain for me. "Cullen," she looked Alice up and down pursing her lips.

Jessica had told me all about Tanya's Denali offer to Edward, and apparently, ever since Edward had turned Tanya down, she had turned anti-Cullen. Why? I couldn't imagine. Maybe the idea of even associating with the family of someone who had rejected her down was appalling to someone of her nature. Alice made it clear she didn't give a damn, but she refused to tolerate any of Tanya's bull. "Denali," Alice said bluntly.

"So I hear your brother got suspended," she smiled.

_Suspended?_ I looked over at Alice in questioning. I hadn't asked her about Edward's absences because it obviously wasn't any of my business. And if I didn't want to tell someone something, I wouldn't want them to go snooping for information from my family members either. So he deserved the same respect; but the revelation that Edward had been _suspended_ of all things caught me off guard. He may have had an infamous reputation of an isolationist, but he didn't seem like the type to get into serious trouble. "It's pending," Alice defended. "Edward has never smoked on campus. It's a mistake."

He didn't seem like the dim-witted type either to do something as senseless as smoke on campus. I looked back at Tanya, waiting for her response. "I'm sure he didn't," she agreed sarcastically before walking away to her table.

Alice glared at her and I grabbed her arm. "Let it go Alice. She just wants to get you fired up."

"Well it worked," she muttered turning back to walk towards our table.

Jasper consoled her the rest of lunch while Emmett cracked jokes about Tanya's supposed fake nose. Rosalie smacked him upside the head when he moved on to poking fun at her fake chest. "Don't be so childish Emmett," she scolded.

Half the time, Rosalie acted more like his mom than his girlfriend, which worked for them in an odd way. Emmett needed somewhat of a mature hand to reign in him sometimes and Jasper was the mediator of high emotions to keep Alice under control. The bell eventually rang and I said my goodbyes before walking towards the science halls. "So I heard you met Edward on Friday," Tanya commented as I walked by.

"Yea, I did." I had no reason to hold any hostility towards her. "He was nice."

"Listen Bella," she said stepping in front of me. "You seem like a nice girl. If I were you, I would stay away from someone of _his_ nature."

She was trying to stake her territory by threatening me. Just because Edward had the demeanor of a trouble maker didn't make him one; and the fact Tanya would use that falsity as a threat pissed me off for an unknown reason. I hardly knew him, but I could comprehend what it felt like to be misjudged. My defensive side began sparking in Edward's defense. "You obviously don't know him, because his _nature_ is perfectly fine," I bluntly stated.

The bell rang and everyone slowly filed into their classes, but the two us remained standing in the middle of the hall. Her eyes widened in shock at my abrupt response before she suddenly sneered at me. "Oh really?" she asked sarcastically. "Because when I went to the office, the administration didn't seem to have any trouble believing that Edward was smoking on campus."

My mouth fell open and I could feel my muscles clench. _She_ had done it? Alice was right when she told me that Tanya was the emblem of iniquity. It baffled me that she could hold such a spiteful grudge against someone who had merely turned one date down. The smug grin on her face suddenly snapped my self control. No one deserved what she had done. "You're the reason he got suspended? You know for a fact he didn't do anything you claimed he did, don't you Tanya?" I was firing questions like there was no tomorrow. "Edward wouldn't do that."

She raised her brow at me. "Oh, and suddenly you're his protective girlfriend? You don't even know him, Swan."

"I obviously know him better than you do," I glared. "He may not be the epitome of perfection, but he's better than you. You're just a jealous liar."

My last remarked seemed to have shattered her thin patience, and the fury was eminent on her face. She pointed her manicured finger in my face before going off. "I knew you were going to be a problem from the start you little bitch. Mark my words, I'm going to make your life a living h—"

She never got the chance to finish though. She suddenly froze, because an all too familiar voice unexpectedly came from behind me. "That's enough, both of you."

I slowly turned my head to see Edward standing directly behind me with an unexplainable mask of both indifference and restrained anger shadowing his face.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry about the late update. Finals killed me.

Review for a Sneak Peek :)


	6. Chapter 5

A Million Shades of Grey

Chapter 5

_"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."- Bible: Ecclesiastes_

* * *

><p>BPOV<p>

A hushed silence filled the hall as I glanced back and forth between Edward and Tanya. She was taken off guard, no doubt, and now she was trying to play it off. She tucked her hair behind her hear and turned back to me. "We'll finish this Swan," she glared before marching the other way.

Her heels clicked against the ground and Edward and I were left alone in the empty hall. I was still angry, but satisfied that Edward had heard for himself what she had caused. I turned around to greet him, but before I could say a word, he was already halfway into the classroom. I stared after him for a few moments before realizing I was now alone outside. I quickly followed behind him and all eyes turned towards me. "You're late Miss Swan," Mr. Banner, the biology teacher, murmured, typing away on his computer screen.

"I-," I couldn't seem to find the appropriate words to say. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, before scurrying to my seat.

Edward had already sat down and started on the quiz Mr. Banner had passed out. I wanted to ask Edward what had happened, but, unfortunately, the assignment took the entire period and he walked out the door the moment the bell rang. Had I said something wrong? My thoughts were muddled the rest of the day, and I didn't see Edward after the final bell either. He couldn't be avoiding me, could he? Alice hadn't mentioned anything about my incident with Tanya, so I was assuming Edward hadn't told her; and that was perfectly fine. I defended Edward because it was what I felt like I needed to do, but it wasn't my right to go around telling Alice everything that had happened. Edward would tell her if he felt like it.

I walked out to my car in the rain and, to my complete surprise, found a familiar figure leaning up against my door. "We need to talk," he said, coming right out with it.

I couldn't figure out exactly what was so crucial that it had to be discussed at this very moment; I had only defended him. "In the rain?" I asked zipping my jacket up.

He gestured his head towards the school patio across the lot. Almost all the student cars had left or were leaving; it was a common trend, particularly on the days it rained. I caught up to his footsteps and we silently walked through the drizzling rain and came to a stop under the covered area. I looked at up him, hands buried in my sweatshirt pockets. I didn't quite know what to expect. Maybe he would thank me for defending me, or maybe he'd just be mad and tell me he could defend his own battles. He certainly looked like he could. "Why?" he asked after a few moments.

"Because she was wrong," I mumbled.

There was nothing else to say. We both knew that I had no proof of whether or not Edward had or had not smoked on campus, but I had defended him regardless. "You don't know that," he pointed out.

_But I do_. "You don't seem like the type," I shrugged.

He raised a brow at that. Of course he did; he seemed like the perfect type to do something like that. But in the depths of my conscience, I knew that he couldn't have done it. I hardly knew Edward Cullen and yet, I felt like I knew him better than anyone else. We were both misunderstood and secretive. There was no doubt in my mind that something had caused Edward to be the person he was today. Quiet, brooding, and mysterious. I wanted to know what. "Alright. Now do you want to tell me why you exactly defended me?"

He was so persistent. "Does it matter?" I questioned.

Please say no. The idea of having to sit and explain to him how I felt like I had a 'greater understanding of the depth of his soul' mortified me. He would think I'm a psychopath out stalking his every move. "Yes," he answered.

Damn. "I really don't know Edward. Alice had mentioned it before that you didn't, and when she brought it up, I thought back to our conversation and how you were—well, not like everyone else had stereotyped to be. In my mind, you couldn't have done that. So I did what I thought was right," I blurted out all at once.

He stared at me for a few minutes. I couldn't look him in the eyes; I was afraid he would walk away thinking I had gone mad. "Thank you," he mumbled. "You didn't have to, and I don't understand why you did. But thank you."

It was more gratitude than I deserved, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable receiving his thanks. "Your welcome Edward."

An air of silence returned and the conversation was now over. I turned and started walking back to my car. The urge to look back was too strong, and I turned around halfway to see if he was still standing there. But he was already gone.

* * *

><p>"Welcome back to class Mr. Cullen."<p>

I immediately looked up the moment Mr. Berty uttered those few words. Edward Cullen stood at the front of my classroom with what seemed like an almost empty backpack slung over one shoulder. He caught my eyes and we stared at each other while the teacher signed what was probably his schedule form. What could have caused him to have to switch classes? I realized that, like biology, the only available, besides the one right next to Mr. Berty's desk, was the seat was next to mine. And Edward didn't exactly seem like the teacher prodigy type. The girls in the class started to whisper amongst each other as he walked down the aisle towards me.

I gave him a small smile as he sat down, and he nodded in acknowledgement. Subtle, yet effective. Most people would've taken offense to such an oblique gesture, but coming from him, it was like a high-five. The clock ticked and soon enough, half the period had passed and we hadn't communicated once. I took to staring out the window and trying to decipher which cars belonged to whom in the school. _What did Edward drive? _The question had started to annoy me. I pictured him riding on a motorcycle throughout Forks, but the idea wasn't very realistic, considering the weather was either rain or snow more than half the year. Not exactly bike suited weather. Maybe he owned a classic mustang or something someone would own out of the movie Grease. I pondered over the idea the rest of the period before realizing how absurd what I was doing seemed. I looked over at Edward who was staring at me with unmasked curiosity on his face. My eyes widened and the embarrassment flooded over me. My facial expressions must have given my thoughts away because he suddenly chuckled and looked away. The incident reminded of when Charlie would catch me mumbling to myself and call me a schizophrenic, then he'd spend days making fun of me for it every time I talked to him.

I flushed red and looked the other way. He probably thought I was crazy. "What are you thinking about?"

It was the first time he had spoken to me casually since Alice's party. I turned to face him, still slightly pink. "You don't know want to know," I whispered back.

The response would only spark his curiosity, but I couldn't actually tell him what I had been thinking. He would think I was, well- crazy. He raised his brow, daring me to try. I shook my head in response and he frowned, nodding at me to go ahead and spit it out. "I was wondering what kind of car you drive to school," I said softly.

He gave me a real smile for first time, although it was more of a laugh. My heart fluttered and I began to feel giddy before internally scolding myself for such a pre-teen reaction. _Get a grip Bella._ He leaned over so he was closer to me before asking, "And what's so embarrassing about that?"

The smell of peppermint and cigarette's once again flooded my senses and I felt lightheaded, in a good way. I sighed in defeat before deciding it was easier just to tell him rather than be repeatedly questioned. "I figured you might drive something classic, like from the 50's. Then I starting picturing you as the main character in Grease," I mumbled, turning red once more.

He pulled away and was silent for a few moments. He's never going to you speak again, my mind kept repeating. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, just staring at the front of the classroom where Mr. Benty was lecturing. It was impossible to decipher his emotions through his straight face. I gazed at him, waiting for a reaction, whether it was good or bad. Then, suddenly, he started to laugh. Not so loud as to disrupt the class, but prominent enough so the two or three students who sat near us turned around to see what was going on. Laughter? That was the last thing I was expected. For the third time that period, I turned red once more. The bell rang and everyone slowly got up and walked out the door. He eventually stopped laughing and turned to look at me. I was mortified, to say the least. At least he didn't think I was some kind of stalker, day dreaming about him all the time. "That's one of the most interesting things I've heard in my four years at this school," he admitted after a few moments."And I thought Jessica Stanley's rumors were odd."

We both stood up and I didn't have the courage to look him in the eye. He might burst out laughing again. "You asked Edward" was all I could say.

He chuckled once more, and I figured, if I had already mortified myself, I might as well ask him what he drove. "I drive a Volvo," he answered.

I froze in my steps. We were outside the classroom now, heading towards our respective classes. "A Volvo?" I questioned.

"What's wrong with a Volvo?"

"I don't know, it's just that—," I expect you'd drive something more stereotypical to your personality, like a mustang or a motorcycle. "It wasn't what I expected."

"What did you expect?" He asked

He wanted me to say it again. I glared at him. "You know what I expected," I said looking away.

He started to laugh again and I could feel the stares of those around us burning into my back. It couldn't have been that unusual for anyone to talk to Edward, could it? The two minute bell rang and I would be late if I didn't start walking now. "I'll see you in biology Edward," I quickly said before walking the other way.

The day dragged and when the lunch bell rang, I walked out of the class to find Alice waiting for me outside my history class. We walked outside together; it was one of the rare days the sun peeked out and shed its light over the small town of Forks. The entire cafeteria moved outside and absorbed whatever source of vitamin D they could scavenge. "So apparently it was Tanya who started that entire rumor about Edward," Alice started. "Can you believe it? I told you she was a…" she rattled on about how Tanya should be suspended for almost ruining Edward's record.

After he had been proven innocent, the administration reluctantly wiped clean his permanent record and apologized for the inconvenience. Frankly, I agreed with Alice and believed Tanya should have received some form of punishment, if any, for the trouble she has caused. But her reputation managed to weasel her out of any complications she might have had to suffer. Alice didn't know that it had been me who had faced off again Tanya, and I didn't mind. It was easier not being discussed around school as 'the girl who had defended Edward Cullen'. Not that there was anything wrong with Edward, but the idea of being a social topic of interest turned me off. "Hey Bella," Alice said interrupting my train of thought. "What are you doing—"

She didn't get the chance to finish because my phone started to vibrate in my back pocket. I kept it on in case of emergencies, and he rarely called during school. "Sorry Alice," I said pulling out my phone.

"It's fine. Go ahead," she smiled, skipping over to Jasper.

I briskly walked in the direction of the parking lot and answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Bella?" a woman's voice came over the phone.

"Anna?"

Anna was the secretary at the office. She never called, particularly on his cell phone. My heart rate started to pick up and I started to jog towards my car, sensing something was wrong. "Bella, there was an incident at the office—The ambulance—," she sounded out of breath.

I froze in my steps and the world started to spin around me. My legs felt like jello almost suddenly and I couldn't breathe. The tragedy eight years ago flashbacked and my stomach started to churn. I was about to be sick. "Bella? Bella?" Anna's voice came over the phone.

I could feel the hot tears streaming down my face. I hadn't even realized I was crying. "I'm coming down there," I blurted out, trying to find my keys in my bag.

"No Bella. He specifically told me to—"

I hung up before she could finish. I knew what she was going to say. He didn't want me to drive down there. But that wasn't an option anymore. My vision was blurred because I was crying so hard and I couldn't seem to find my keys. "Come on," I muttered shaking the bag and blindly searching.

I was half running to my car while digging for the keys; they were buried underneath all the notebooks and binders. I grabbed a hold of them and as I was pulling them out a hand shot out and grabbed my elbow. "Hey what's wrong?"

Edward stood there with what seemed like a concerned look etched across his face. I couldn't see clearly through the tears, but I recognized him by the distinct color of his bronze hair and smooth voice. He hadn't let go of my elbow and I took a deep breath and struggled to get a hold of the sobs threatening to break though. "I- I have to go to- to the hospital," I stumbled over my words and pulled out of his grasp to make it to the car.

Before I had even taken two steps, his hand quickly reached out again and grabbed my arm. "Edward, no-" I pulled at his fingers, trying to pry them off me. "Edward, please. I have to go. Let go of me—" I continued yanking my arm.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "What happened? Do you need an ambulance?"

It's not me that needs an ambulance. _He_ does. "It's not me. My family," I blurted, managing to pull away from his grip.

He didn't let go for long, because he reached and grabbed me again with a firm grip. "I'll take you," he calmly said.

"You can't," I argued. "It's all the way in Seattle."

He wouldn't take no for answer. "You're in no condition to drive, and it's obvious you aren't going to wait around for me to get someone else to drive you. I'll take you, Bella," he said, gently pulling the keys from my hand.

He let go of my arm and started walking towards his car which was parked a few rows from mine. It took me a moment to process that he had already passed by me, but I snapped out of my daze and hurried after him. He held open the door for me and I sat inside and put my head in my hands. I took a deep breath and leaned back. I had to get a hold of myself. He started the car and swiftly pulled out of lot and onto the main road. I closed my eyes and reveled in the scent of his car. It smelt just like him, peppermint and cigarettes. The effect was soothing and I deeply breathed in the aroma of his car. I wasn't even a aficionado of smoking. What was it about him then?

He waited for as long as I need to gather myself before speaking up. "What happened?" He asked after a while.

"There's been an accident. Everything she said was jumbled. I couldn't understand her," I mumbled.

"What is it involving your entire family?"

"No," I answered. "Not at all of them," I said looking down.

The rest of the car ride went by in silence. He pulled onto the US- 101 and I stared out the window, absorbed in my own thoughts. Anna hadn't given me any information either, and I doubt she would over the phone. I closed my eyes and prayed that he was okay, whatever the situation may be. He had to be. Was there a shooting? My stomach churned at the thought and I repressed the possibility. I looked over at Edward who was driving at least 100 mph down the freeway; I would have to thank him later, once this was over. We miraculously made it in under three hours and I threw open the door and ran the moment he pulled up in front of the hospital. A crowd of seniors stood in front of the main desk and I shoved my way through to the front. The receptionist was nowhere to be seen and I looked around in panic for her. They weren't allowed to disappear like that, were they? "Bella!"

I turned around to Anna's voice, and there she stood at the double doors at the end of the hall. "Anna," I breathed a sigh of relief as I rushed my way over to her. "What happened? You wouldn't tell me anything."

She grabbed my shoulders and gave me a stern yet sympathetic look. "Honey, you're not supposed to be here. He specifically told me to make sure you stayed where you w—"

"That's bullshit," I interrupted. "What happened? Where is he, Anna? I need to know or I'll go search the entire hospital myself."

My worry was turning into frustration and anger. No one was giving me the answers I needed, when all I needed to know was which room he was in. She sighed in defeat. "Some guy attacked him while he was out of the building for lunch. Luckily someone found him and called the ambulance before it was too late. The police are still out searching for him."

I started to feel dizzy once more, but refused to waiver. "What room is he in?"

"He's in the fourth floor. Room 15."

Not bothering to get any form of a pass, I pushed my way through the doors and headed straight for the elevator. The nurses stared after me as I furiously pushed the button. I stepped in and impatiently bit my nails waiting to step out. The moment the doors opened, I ran out and down the hall towards room fifteen. I stopped in front of it and took a deep breath before pushing open the door.

The room was a modest size with two beds and a divider in between. I could feel my nerves building as I walked towards the pale white curtain. I stepped around it and froze at the bloodied face and broken arm in front of me. "Phil."

* * *

><p>Cue dramatic music. Bet you didn't see that coming. Review for a Sneak Peek :)<p> 


	7. Chapter 6

A Million Shades of Grey

Chapter 6

_"__What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise__." - Oscar Wilde_

* * *

><p>BPOV<p>

I was mere seconds away from crying, seeing him lying defenseless on a hospital bed. He stared at me with a stern look etched on his face, but sadness clouding his eyes. "What are you doing here Bella?"

"Anna called," I explained. "It's not her fault. I didn't let her finish. I knew what she was going to say," I mumbled walking over to his bed.

He seemed fragile and weak lying there, not like the independent, strong man I had grown up with. "You shouldn't have come. Did you drive here?"

"No sir. I did."

We both turned to look at Edward leaning against the doorway. He stood far enough to give us our privacy, and I knew that he was only checking up on me. "And who are you?" Phil asked, staring back and forth between us.

"My name's Edward Cullen, sir. I go to school with your daughter. I drove her because she wasn't in the right condition to do so herself."

I looked down and clutched Phil's hand, holding back the tears. Phil was quiet for a few moments before looking back up at Edward. "Thank you."

Edward nodded and looked at me, subtly letting me know he'd be outside waiting. I nodded back before turning to Phil. He was staring at where Edward was standing. I rubbed his hand with my thumb, waiting for him to say something. "Daughter," he mumbled.

"You know you'll always be my dad," I reassured.

After Charlie, Phil was the closest father-figure I had. Seeing him lying on a hospital bed, beaten, broke my heart. I could feel warm tears cloud my vision once more. He gave me a small smile and lifted my hand up to kiss it. "And I think of you as my child just as much as Charlie's."

"Anna told me what happened," I whispered.

Phil nodded, a questionable expression crossing his face before he frowned. "He probably saw my suit and assumed I had extra money in my wallet."

I stared at his face for a few moments. The years of stress and responsibility had begun to show on his face. The small unshaven hairs were beginning to shine a silver grey and the wrinkles were now much more prominent with age. A nagging thought in the back of my mind harassed my conscience; he wasn't being honest. But it wasn't the time to pester him about it. I nodded forced a grim smile. "Be careful out there," I scolded.

He returned a genuine smile before wincing in pain. I reached for the nurse's button and he started to shake his head no. He continued to hold my hand and reassure me that he was okay. "So Edward, huh?" He smirked.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled in relief. "It's nothing like that," I said softly.

"I hope not," he said playfully glaring at me. "That boy seems like trouble."

I suddenly glared at him, not furious, but defensive. He raised a brow at my sudden behavior and I flushed a slight pink, realizing my reaction. "He smokes, doesn't he?" He questioned.

I looked away and groaned. There was nothing going on between us, but I was getting questioned as though there was. "Does he do drugs?"

Phil's tone turned serious. He didn't approve of smoking, but drugs were a definite no on his list, friends or boyfriends. "No," at least as far as I knew he didn't. "Just because he wears a black leather jacket doesn't necessarily mean he's bad news, Phil."

He nodded in understanding. "I better not find out you've been smoking either," he suddenly said.

"Phil," I sighed. "I promise, I haven't, nor do I plan on smoking," it was just Edward's unique smell that drove me crazy.

"He seems like a nice boy Bells," he commented after a few minutes.

If only he knew what the rest of Forks had labeled him as. "He's a nice _friend_," I emphasized.

He laughed at that before patting my head. "As much as I love having you here Bells, you need to leave. I'm assuming he's taking you home?"

I nodded. Saying good-bye was always difficult. I didn't want to leave Phil alone in the hospital, but I knew it was for the best of both of us that I returned back to Forks. So I forcefully said my good-byes before closing the door shut behind me. I stepped out of the elevator and saw Edward standing across the parking lot through the glass doors. He was in the parking lot, leaning against his car, cigarette in hand. I walked out the doors and towards him. For a moment, I debated on turning around and spending the night in the hospital with him, but that wouldn't go well with Phil. So with a heavy heart, I came up to Edward and told him we could leave. He threw his cigarette in the ash tray and opened the doors.

"Thank you," I softly said once we were driving.

Driving someone three hours away was never an easy task, and he did it without question. Why was Edward labeled the delinquent he was then? "Did you eat lunch?" He asked.

My stomach grumbled at the thought. No, I hadn't. I had left in the beginning of lunch at noon and now it was almost five o'clock. The realization occurred to me that Edward hadn't eaten either. "I'm so sorry," I quickly apologized. "I didn't realize I've kept you hungry since lunch."

He shook his head. "It's okay Bella. You're the one who needs to eat," he claimed pulling into a diner.

"You don't have to Edward, unless you're hungry of course. You're parents must want you home by now."

He looked over at me and scoffed. "My _parents_ will be fine. It's not unusual for me to come home late," he explained.

We stepped out of the car and walked into the small diner. It was a modest size with booths lining the walls and soft music playing in the back. The three or four groups of people in the restaurant stared at Edward and I couldn't blame them. He was an Adonis, for lack of a better word. We took a seat in the back corner and a peppy waitress on roller blades appeared. "Good evening guys. What can I get you today?"

I looked to Edward to order first, and he shook his head in refusal. "You're not going to eat?"

He had to be starving since he had missed lunch. "Nicotine represses my appetite," he joked. "You order."

I turned back to the menu and pick the first thing that caught my eye. "Could I have chocolate malt shake?"

Edward raised a brow and that as she nodded and clarified if that was all. "A chocolate malt shake?" he questioned.

"I have an interminable sweet tooth," I explained.

"Aren't you going to eat actual food?"

I raised a brow at that. He couldn't be serious, considering he had just blown off his meal through cigarettes. "That's a pretty hypocritical statement Mr. Nicotine," I accused.

He chuckled and shrugged. "Fine. Drink what you want," he gave up leaning his head back.

She brought the shake to the table and set it down; in her other hand was an extra straw which I glanced at in curiosity. She set it down beside the drink and winked at me. Might as well, there was no possible way to finish by myself. "Edward," I called.

He opened his eyes and stared the massive shake in front of us. I gestured towards the waitress and waived the extra straw in the air. Did he mind sharing or not? He stared at the shake with a grimace on his face. "Oh come on," I exclaimed. "You've never had one of these?"

"It looks like- diabetes in a glass," he mumbled.

"It's really good," I defended, sticking the extra straw in.

He took a slow sip and sat back. I waited for his response. "Its—sweet. Really sweet," he chuckled staring at the drink.

At least he didn't hate it. "Hence, the purpose of a shake," I explained taking a long sip.

We managed to finish over three-fourths of it before giving up and pushing the glass the other way. Edward's stomach was full and I was suffering from a minor brain freeze. "Damn," he muttered staring at the drink which was now at the other end of the table.

I smiled. He most definitely liked it. "I don't understand how you've never had one of those," I pondered.

"Carlisle, my dad, he's a doctor," he started. "We weren't exactly raised on things like that."

He paid for the drink although I insisted that I cover it since he drove me all the way out to Seattle. He ignored my protests and paid. We walked out and sat back in the car, driving back to Forks. "So what do you do when you're not in school?"

He pondered over the question for a few moments before answering. "I spend my time with James and his two—friends, if that's what you'd prefer to call them."

"Aren't you all friends then?"

"I wouldn't exactly call them my friends," he mumbled.

I understood what he meant. They were his smoking and drinking pals, but nothing more. It made sense now, his reputation. He didn't do anything wrong, but by the sound of it; his 'friends' probably had a made a name with law enforcement. "Oh, I see. Well, what's it like with your family?"

He clearly felt more at ease discussing his family then his other extracurricular activities. He talked about his relationship with Alice and Emmett as well as his love for his mother, Esme. His voice became somewhat sullen when talking about his father. It was clear he had nothing but admiration for him, but Edward didn't agree with a lot of his father's policies regarding his lifestyle. "What about your family?"

I paused. What about my family? The question seemed simple enough. "Well, I'm a single child. I don't see my dad much, he's busy with work a lot. My mom's not exactly around in my life," I trailed off.

It would be a lie if I said I wasn't jealous. Edward had a loving family which included both a brother and sister to lean on. I dreamed of a family like that growing up. He nodded in understanding, realizing I wasn't comfortable discussing the issue. So for the remainder of the trip, we made small-talk about daily things. Turns out, Edward and I had a lot more in common than I thought. Our taste in music, our ambitions, our likes and dislikes were alike. He pulled back into the school parking lot half past nine and stepped out of the car with me. "Thanks again Edward, for everything," I said turning to him.

I didn't know whether to hug him or to shake his hand. I ended up doing neither. We stood there, suddenly feeling awkward. My hands were awkwardly dangling at my sides while his were in his pocket. He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a cigarette, not bothering to offer me one this time. "If you need anything else, I'm guessing you have Alice's number. Call her and she'll let me know," he said pulling out a lighter.

Not that I would harass him again, but the offer was generous nonetheless.. "Thanks. I'll see you in class tomorrow?" I asked.

"Probably," he pulled the cig away from his lips.

"Bye Edward," I said sitting into the car.

"Good night Bella."

He walked back to his car and I started my engine, pulling out of the parking lot behind him. We went our separate ways and I soon pulled up into the empty driveway. The house was dark and deserted looking. I walked in and flipped on the lights, feeling far too alone tonight to sleep with the lights off. Crawling into bed, I dreamt of what life in the Cullen household would be like.

* * *

><p>3rd Person POV<p>

"Well?" he questioned, tapping his fingers on the large wooden desk.

"We couldn't sir," the tall and brooding male figure answered in a husky voice. "She wasn't alone. There was a boy with her," he explained.

He fingers froze mid-air and he slowly looked up with his brow raised. "Which _boy_?"

"We did some digging and found his name. Edward Cullen. They go to the same school," the short one answered this time, stepping forward.

He resumed his tapping and pursed his lips, contemplating over the new found information. "Well that's just not going to work, now is it?" he murmured after a few moments. "It seems we have an unnecessary—obstacle to take care of."

* * *

><p>Review for a Sneak Peek.<p>

Any guesses to who our mystery man might be?

To answer a handful of reviews, no Bella and Phil are clearly not having an affair.


	8. Chapter 7

Longest Chapter to date. 

A Million Shades of Grey

Chapter 7

_"__Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason__."- Ralph Waldo Emerson_

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

Isabella Swan. There was something absolutely perplexing about her, and I couldn't seem to put my finger on what exactly it was. She wasn't a cover girl and nor was she a genius, but she was captivating. From the moment I had met her, to the drive down to Seattle, everything she said told me sounded genuine. People didn't behave like that anymore, and I couldn't recall the last time I had felt such a connection with anyone outside of my family. I hardly knew her, but I found myself eager to tell her about my family and my ambitions. The surprising part was that she listened, genuinely. I thought back to our conversation; judging by her responses, she didn't seem to have a tight-knit family. And although I wouldn't admit it, I was just as curious about her. However, I wouldn't force her to tell me about herself is she didn't feel comfortable. With my thoughts muddled, I turned my head to look at her; we were sitting again in English class and she was staring out the window in her usual position.

As the days went I by I slowly began to take note of her small habits. She loved reading literature, and because she was ahead of the curriculum, she would spend the majority of the English period gazing out the window. When she was nervous, she subconsciously started to bite her nails. We only made small talk after the incident in Seattle. She continued to thank me profusely, but I didn't hear anything else that was significant in her life. She had a tendency to keep her family life, or lack of, to herself. I sympathized with her, understanding how it felt at one point. She put her head down on the desk and folded her arms under. I looked away, suddenly realizing I was openly staring at her. The rest of the period dragged on and I couldn't help but sneak a glance at Isabella every few minutes. She had fallen fast asleep while Mr. Berty labored on about Beowulf. The bell rang and I stood up and gently shook her shoulder. Her head snapped up and she looked around in confusion for a moment before yawning. "Wake up," I chuckled. "It's only first period."

She laughed, drowsy from lack of sleep. "No sleep last night?"

She shook her head and frowned. "I was trying to get a hold of my dad," she answered.

I didn't prod the subject any farther. It had been two days since we had returned from Seattle and it was clear from the look on her face that she hadn't been getting a good night's sleep. "He'll be okay. Don't worry."

There wasn't much else I could tell her. As far as she had told me, he had been mugged in downtown. "I hope so," she mumbled, lost in her worries.

We walked out of the classroom heading towards our next class. Ever since I had taken Bella in my car, rumors had started flying high and low throughout the school. Everywhere we turned, every pair of eyes stared and voices become hushed into whispers. It was clear Isabella was not use to the extra attention, where as I received it the majority of the time. She probably felt as though it was her first day of school all over again. I hadn't exactly spent any time with anyone besides my family at school, so I didn't know how long it would take before everyone started to ignore us, or before we simply stopped talking. In the back of my mind, I hoped it wouldn't be the latter.

* * *

><p>"Hey Edward," Alice knocked on the door.<p>

I yanked one of the headphones out of my ear and waited for him to come in. She always knocked out of courtesy, but it was more a warning that she was going to come rather than asking for permission to come in. Typical Alice. The reason she started getting into the habit of knocking was only because she walked in on Emmett and Rosalie one weekend while Esme and Carlisle were gone. Aside from the fact she saw Emmett's naked ass, as far as I know and hope to never see for myself, the scarring memoir convinced her it was best not to prance in on anyone from that point on, whether it was her sexually active brother or her isolated brooding one. She opened and the door and went to sit herself down on my bed. "Are you going to be here for dinner tonight?"

I recalled James calling me not too long ago asking me to pick him and Victoria up from downtown around dusk, but I hadn't given him a confirmed answer. It had been almost a week since I had taken my car out for a drive, and I was considering spending dinner doing exactly that. "I'm not sure. Why? What's the occasion?"

No one ever really bothered insisting that I join the family for dinner unless an extended period of time had passed since I last had. Why Alice suddenly asked out of the blue when I was at the dinner table for the last four days was beyond me. I got up and began walking over to my closet. Maybe I could eat at home today, depending on what Esme had cooked. "Your friend's coming over," she said.

I spun around and stared at her smirking grin. "What friend?"

There was no possible way Esme would've approved Victoria or the others coming over. She knew I wasn't even that keen of their company. I was ready to go downstairs and question Esme's sanity before Alice spoke up. "I'm talking about Bella, Edward," she said as a matter-of-fact.

Bella was coming. I paused for a moment, deciding how I wanted to respond to this new found information. Bella was coming to our house for dinner. "Esme's making your favorite lasagna," Alice piped in.

Lasagna? My stomach growled at the thought, but I ignored it and thought back to the fact Bella was coming over for dinner. I suddenly came to my senses and realized, since when was that incentive to stay home for dinner. I saw Bella everyday at school, twice a day. I walked into my closet and pulled my leather jacket off the hanger and slipped it on. I walked out to find Alice staring at me with a grim look on her face. "What?" I questioned.

She continued to purse her lips and try and scrutinize me before giving a sigh of defeat and frowning. "But Bella's coming for dinner," she emphasized.

What was she trying to get at? She knew it irritated me when she tried to play matchmaker. My mind flashbacked to an incident the first year I had come to live with my now current family. Alice had attempted to set me up with the neighborhood girl down the street and, I, being the rebellious ignorant person I was at the time, made her cry. It wasn't one of my proudest moments, granted, but it was a clear reminder for our entire family how I didn't take well to being played match-maker with. "Your point, Alice?"

I grabbed my keys of my desk and waited by the door so Alice could step out. She stood up and walked over to me. "I thought you were guys were friends," she inquired.

_Were we?_ I suppose we were. Friends talked, didn't they? She and I weren't the best of friends, but the fact I managed to keep up a conversation with her far longer than anyone else in Forks High must account for something. "I suppose so," I acknowledged. "But you were the one who invited her to dinner. I have no obligation to be here," I defended, making my way down the stairs.

She sighed once more in defeat and walked back towards her room, most likely to get ready. I frowned at the idea of missing Esme's lasagna as I walked past the kitchen. Why was I leaving? The word Bella flashed to mind and I quickly shook the thought out of my head. I had other things I wanted to do anyway. I told Esme I would be back later and she immediately insisted I stay for dinner. After refusing consistently, I walked out to my car, pulling out a pack of Marlboro on the walk there. I lit a cigarette and stepped into my car. I didn't quite want to pick up James and Victoria, however, it would buy me enough time till Isabella left. Why I had such an apparent opposition to being home with her, I didn't know.

* * *

><p>BPOV<p>

The door bell chimed and I took a few steps to truly admire the house as I waited. The area had been dark and overflowing with students the last time I came, which was back during Alice's party. In the serene atmosphere and early hours of the evening, it was easy to admire the home; it was a large off-white structure built in a minimalist fashion. Two of the walls on the second story were made of glass and the ground floor had large windows. I looked over the right of the house and a large pool extended into the backyard. Wasn't it always either too cold or too wet to go swimming here? The door suddenly opened and Alice stood at the door. "Hey Bella! Come on in!"

I walked in after her and looked at the home in awe. It was far more mesmerizing empty than it was full of guests. The house was decorated with simplistic white and black pieces of furniture spread out across what seemed to be three large rooms combined. The entire ground floor seemed to be one giant room aside from the kitchen, which was merely sectioned off with an island. "Your house is gorgeous," I mumbled looking around.

"You said that last time," she laughed softly.

"Isn't there all antique furniture upstairs though? This is all pretty-," I trailed off not being able to form words.

"Modern?" she filled in. "Esme favors a modern look like I do and Edward and Carlisle prefer more of the antique touch."

"And Emmett?" I asked.

She laughed at that. "Emmett just wants something to suit his game room so that he can keep his billiards table somewhere," she explained.

The explanation suited his sarcastic and laid back personality perfectly. I could picture their family arguing over the blueprints of the house before they moved in. Carlisle would argue single handedly against Alice and Esme over the floor plan while Edward, after pitching in his opinion, would stand back and watch. A soft brown haired woman with rosy red cheeks came out of the kitchen walking towards with me open arms. I didn't have time to process anything before she leaned in to give me a hug. She smelled of cookies and cinnamon; I could only guess this was Esme. "Hello Bella. I'm Esme. It's about time I finally could meet you. Are you hungry?"

She was quick to get to the point and it was clear where Alice got her subtle enthusiasm from in comparison to Esme. She seemed like the stereotypical home maker; the kind who stayed home, cooked, gardened, and cleaned. An average Martha Stewart like figure. "It's nice to meet you too Mrs. Cullen. You have a lovely home," I remarked.

She smiled graciously and quickly corrected me, telling me to call her Esme because Mrs. Cullen was far too formal. Turns out, she was not just a home maker. Both her parents worked in the local hospital as surgeons. Esme just spent more time at home than her husband did. Alice led us to the dinner table which was already set for dinner; however, her father hadn't returned from his shift at the hospital yet. Esme suggested we start, but we insisted that we wouldn't mind waiting for him. Mr. Cullen ended up walking through the door a few minutes after. He quickly apologized for running late and introduced himself to me. We sat down and Emmett barged down the stairs ready with an empty stomach. "Hey Bella," he smiled taking the seat across from me.

I greeted him and Esme came from the kitchen and set down a large tray of lasagna in the center of the table. Emmett groaned in appreciation and reached for the large spoon to dig in. "Emmett," Esme scolded.

He shrugged and scooped a large portion of it onto his plate before handing the spoon over to me. "Where's Edward? He's always here whenever you make lasagna," he said digging into his plate.

I couldn't have scared him off. Could I? Of course not. Edward and I were friends. He was probably busy with James. That or the nicotine blew his appetite again. I looked over to Alice who was pursing her lips and stabbing the lasagna with her fork. "Why didn't Edward stay, Alice?" Carlisle asked turning to her.

She rolled her eyes and shrugged before muttering something under her breath. The table became quiet for a few moments before Emmett's obnoxious burp resounded throughout the room. Esme froze and Carlisle's fork stopped mid-air. Only the soft hum of the dishwasher could be heard and Alice and I turned to look at each other before busting out laughing. "Emmett-, your manners," Esme grimaced walking into the kitchen.

Carlisle chuckled while Alice and I struggled to catch our breaths. Emmett smirked and sat back in his chair before leaning forward to grab more lasagna. We eventually resumed eating and I got up to help Esme clean the table with Alice. "So Bella," Carlisle started pushing his chair back, "where are you from?"

He continued to ask me questions about my life and school back in Chicago and my plans for college. They weren't anything out of the norm from what everyone had been asking me since I'd move to Forks. It was only after about fifteen minutes or so I started to feel the pressure. "What about your parents?"

I paused for a moment and set the dishes in the sink. "My dad's pretty tied up with business and I don't really see my mom much," I explained.

Carlisle nodded in understanding. "What area of business is he involved in?"

"Um- marketing," I answered shortly. "I don't really keep up with his business affairs. Too complicated," I justified, chuckling it off.

"And your mother?" Esme asked wiping her hands on a towel.

"Interior design major. She always loved decorating," I smiled.

Renee had an insatiable desire to bedazzle and decorate any room whether it was the basement, master bedroom, or the attic. My childhood bedroom looked like it had been raided by soft hues of pink and various shades of green. Everything from the carpet to the wallpaper matched the crib and other various pieces of furniture. "I would love to see what she's done with your new home," Esme suggested.

"Definitely. You all should come for dinner one day," I said.

Alice stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the stair. "Alright, that's enough small talk," she said clapping her hands together. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

She excused herself to the bathroom once we reached the top and told me to take a seat in her room. I walked down the hall towards her bedroom door, but couldn't help but notice the door across the hall was left open. I titled my head to the side and could see a large stereo system with a day-bed placed against the edge of the glass wall. I could hear Emmett on the phone down the hall in the other room, so I could only assume that this was Edward's room. I debated for a moment on whether or not I really wanted to invade his privacy. After all, he wasn't exactly a socialite, but what's the worse he could be hiding in there. I slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside.

A large shelf full of records and various CD's took up almost an entire wall and the soft sounds of Debussy emitted from the CD player which was left running. Figures. I recalled Edward mentioning he was a fan of classical music. I couldn't help but take a few steps into the room, careful not to overstep my boundaries, if opening the door hadn't already done just that. Edward's scent lingered in the air and I took a light whiff. Yes, this was definitely his room. I glanced around the room and took in his slightly messy but extremely organized shelves. My eyes landed on the dark jacket strewn on the back of his chair and I couldn't help but walk over to it and slide my fingers against the leather. I looked behind me to make sure no one was watching before bringing the sleeve up to my nose and taking a deep breath. I closed my eyes as the smell of peppermint and cigarettes clouded my senses. Damn. _What cologne does he use?_ It was at that point I suddenly realized how crazy I must've seemed for standing in his room, smelling his jacket of all things. I quickly took one last look before turning around and quietly closing the door shut behind me.

The next day arrived and my second week at Forks High School was almost complete. It wasn't as depressing as I thought it'd be, and although there was nothing to do living the small town life, the idea of not having any responsibilities made up for the loss. I made small talk with Alice as she told me about her plans with Jasper this weekend. They were going to Port Angeles for dinner on their anniversary while Rosalie and Emmett spent the weekend alone in their house; Esme and Carlisle were going to a convention, so Alice decided it was best she not spend the weekend with the happy and—active, couple. The final bell rang and I said my good-byes, wishing her a good anniversary, before walking out to my car.

I slowed down when I saw the infamous and familiar trio standing a few feet away. I groaned and debated on whether or not I should turn around and come back later, but decided I might as well get it over with so I could go home and call Phil. They turned to look at me as I picked my pace back up and walked towards to my car. "Well, well," James smiled leaning against the trunk of my car. "Isabella Swan."

I forced a small smile back and tried to walk around him to get to the driver's seat. "In a rush?" He asked, sticking my hand out and blocking my way.

"Kind of," I mumbled, looking the other way.

It was the first time I had ever conversed with him and I wasn't liking the way our conversation was heading. He wasn't rude, but there was something conniving about his demeanor that made me feel as though I should be on my guard in front of him and his posse. "Rumor is you and Cullen…" he trailed off, waiting for me to fill in the blanks.

"Well, it's a good thing it's just a rumor then, isn't it?"

He chuckled, but didn't bother moving his hand out of my way. Groaning inwardly, I turned to face him and couldn't help but suddenly wish that Edward were here. Victoria and Laurent were now leaning against the edge of m car and slight feeling of irritation began to come over me. "Listen, I really need to get going."

I attempted to step around him, but he quickly blocked me again. James smiled obnoxiously and leaned in towards me. "What do you say we all go out together? Edward's pretty uptight with most girls—"

Victoria snorted at that while James continued. "-Maybe if you tagged along he'd loosen up some."

"No thanks. I really need to get going," I mumbled bending down to go under his outstretched arm.

He suddenly grabbed my arm, twisting it so I couldn't move. His grip wasn't so strong as to hurt me, but forceful enough to stop me in tracks. "It seems to me like your trying to avoid us Isabella," he mocked sadness.

No wonder he was a drop out. My patience was running thin and I could feel panic rising in my chest. "Just trying to get home," I said, slowly pulling my hand away.

"Listen Isabella," Victoria stepped closer. "You seem like a smart little girl, but don't think too much of yourself. You have no idea what Edward's been through. Do you?"

I stared at her. I really did have no idea about Edward's past. "Just consider it a warning. You don't want to get involved, you may not be able to get out," she snickered.

James lifted his other hand and twirled a piece of my hair around his finger. His hold on my arm had loosened and I pulled my hand away. "Don't scare her Vicky. Just remember, you're welcome to join us anytime," he smirked, backing off.

As I started the engine, I flashbacked to what Alice had said about Edward not fitting in any particular group. He was nothing like his 'friends,' it made me wonder why in the world he would associate himself with them. I pondered over the thought the entire drive home, and I pulled into the driveway, I decided I would do whatever it took to unravel Edward Cullen.

* * *

><p>EPOV<p>

Taking a long drag of the cigarette in my hand, I leaned my head back on the couch. Skipping today had given me ample time to think about what I do with Isabella. There was nothing of importance regarding our relationship, but it was exactly that which left me wondering what she thought. She asked an endless amount of questions pertaining to my past, and although I could ignore them for the time being, her stubborn attitude told me that it wouldn't be the last time. I hadn't allowed myself to get close to anyone with the exception of my family in years. And suddenly this _girl_ comes along thinking she can break down my barriers. It was improbable and foolish on her part. So was I going to tell her that? _No_. The selfish part of my mind answered.

There was something about Bella's company that provided—peace. She didn't babble endlessly about irrelevant things and our few conversations were actually worth engaging in. The cynical Edward dictated that I should cut off all ties, that giving her a ride to Seattle was reason enough for her, or any girl for that matter, to believe that only a genuine and interested friend would offer such a thing. Neither of which I was. Or was I?

"So how's your girl doing?" James asked from the opposite side of the room.

I raised my brow in question and glanced at him. "And who's my girl?" I asked, rolling my eyes at the stupidity of his question.

The silence, hardly ever present, was interrupted and my mood agitated. "Puh- lease Edward," Victoria sat up from the couch and stretched her back. Her already indecent clothing was cropped to an extreme and her snipped shirt rose higher until the bottom half of her bra was exposed. "You know who, that Isabella girl."

_Bella_, I corrected inwardly. James walked over to her on the couch as she slided over, making ample room for him. "Bella," I subtly emphasized, "is not my girl."

_Dimwitted assholes_. They knew I didn't date and I couldn't understand where there pointless questions rooted from. I went back to smoking the rest of my cigarette. "Huh," James scoffed. "Odd. We had a short chat today after school."

I froze at that. I removed the cig from my lips and waited for him to continue. Laurent chuckled at my sudden shift in behavior and I realized the peculiarity of my reaction. Forcing myself to relax and continue what I was doing, I paid close attention to his words. "She's quite feisty. I'm sure you know."

I smirked at that, picturing the scene. She didn't seem like the kind to put up with James' bullshit. It was Victoria's following words that truly stumped me in my thoughts and gave me serious reason to reconsider my interactions with her. "She seems to think you could be good friends. Or _are_ good friends. I wonder why?"

_Why? Did she? _"Regardless," James cut off her provoking rant, "I just wanted to mention my congrats that you finally picked a girl, and she has a pretty decent ass," he laughed. "Oh. And soft skin, really soft skin."

The cigarette I was twirling in between my fingers slipped and fell to the ground. I remained still, processing his words. My muscles tensed and I could feel a small, but sharp and irritating pull in my chest. I swallowed hard and tried to drown it out, but had no luck. How in the fuck did he know what her skin felt like? I tried to shake off the foreign feeling but couldn't seem to. What in the hell? I suddenly realized that the two were waiting for my response, and I forced the irritating feeling down into my stomach before answering. No words would come to form, so I simply muttered the phrase I had forced upon myself. "Bella is not my girl."

* * *

><p>Ahh Edward. So cynical. Any thoughts? Comments? I believe I sent a sneak peek to almost everyone who reviewed. I have a slight feeling I may have missed one or two people, and if i did, my apologies!<p>

Sneak Peek for a Review!


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